Breath
by Lexxicon
Summary: Elliot and Olivia making every breath count. Really not as fluffy as it sounds.


**_Author's note: _**The end is a little fluffy. So sue me.

**_Disclaimer: _**No, actually, don't. I don't own any of these people. Not even the perp. My sister named him. Dick Wolf is responsible for the rest of the characters, gods bless him.

"Detective, if you come any closer, I swear to God I'll shoot her!" Jake Anderson yelled, pressing the barrel of his Smith & Wesson harder into Olivia's temple.

"Alright, alright!" Elliot conceded, raising his hands, showing that his finger was off the trigger of his gun.

"Put it down _slowly_."

Elliot complied, his eyes always on his partner. He stared at the chain tightly padlocked around her feet; noted the handcuffs viciously binding her wrists so tight that they were rubbed bloody; and he absorbed the look of fear in her eyes as the weights chained to her ankles teetered precariously on the edge of the bridge.

"Kick the gun towards me," Anderson ordered. Elliot again obliged, keeping his hands up.

The perp picked up the gun and tucked it into his waistband. He then held up a key ring containing about twenty keys, all similar in size, shape, and color. "One of these keys opens this padlock holding your friend to the weights." He tossed the set into the water, then held his gun to Olivia's temple threateningly when Elliot made an involuntary step forward.

He gazed coldly at Elliot, then said, "Happy hunting, Detective Stabler," before shoving the first weight over the edge of the bridge, causing the other two to follow and Olivia to be knocked flat, her head coming down hard on the surface, and slipping into the water just as quickly as the weights.

"Liv!" Elliot yelled as he rushed forward to the spot where she went in. He pulled the portable from his waistband and yelled into it, "This is Detective Elliot Stabler from the 1-6, at the East Bridge 7, requesting immediate backup. I need a SCUBA team and a bus standing by!"

Completely ignoring his fleeing suspect, Elliot stripped off his coat and button-down shirt, then kicked off his shoes while tossing aside his holster and all other hindrances. He dove into the frigid water without a second thought and swam straight to where his partner floated, about eight feet below the water's surface.

His heart hammered in his throat as he reached to feel for a pulse. Then he saw that her eyes were open and she was conscious, but slightly dazed from the crack on the head. Her mouth was shut tight, and no air bubbles escaped her nose, so he knew that she was aware and calm enough to be able to hold her breath. He took comfort in that, at least, as he swam down to the bottom of the river and retrieved the keys.

Once he had the keys, he swam back up to Olivia so that they were face-to-face. He pointed at her, then at his mouth as he blew the air out of it, gesturing that she do the same. Not understanding what he was doing, but trusting her partner, she obliged. Elliot, meanwhile, swam back up to the surface and took a few breaths in and out, then took in a huge gulp, filling his lungs and his mouth. He ducked back under the water and went immediately to his partner, who was beginning to lose consciousness from lack of oxygen and what was undoubtedly a concussion.

Elliot gently placed his hands on either side of her face and drew his lips to hers, parting them and breathing air back into her lungs, saving a bit for himself so he could work at the chains around her ankles. When his chest started to tighten for the want of air, he propelled himself to the surface and took another huge breath, went quickly to Olivia and gave her most of it, then went back to working on the lock.

He repeated the process of breathing for Olivia five times before finally finding the right key. Under the water, it was a dull _clunk_ that signified the lock had finally opened. Elliot was on the last of his air, and he frantically pulled at the chains binding Olivia. Once her feet were free, he swam back up so that they were facing each other again. Without prompting, she slipped her still cuffed hands around his neck, and he held her body close to him as his feet propelled both of them to the surface of the water.

They both drank huge gulps of air when they broke the surface. For a full minute, they both just floated, trying to catch their breath. When Elliot took a close look at Olivia, he could see that her eyes were unfocused. He hoped that backup would get here soon before she passed out.

Both of them were shivering, and Olivia's teeth were chattering. Elliot rubbed his hands all over her back trying to warm her. She closed her eyes to the suddenly painful daylight, and rested her forehead against Elliot's.

"It's okay, Liv," he whispered. "Backup will get here soon, and then we can get you warmed up and that bump on your head checked out. And the sooner you get better, the sooner you and I can track that sorry son-of-a-bi—"

"Elliot," Olivia interrupted, leaning her head back in a sign of frustration.

"Hmm?"

"Please shut up." She made eye contact when she said this to make sure to get the point across.

Elliot nodded. He wasn't hurt at her words, nor was she worried he would be. He leaned towards her and placed a gentle kiss just above her right brow, then resumed the forehead-to-forehead position. As an afterthought, she tilted her head upward to kiss him softly and briefly on the lips.

Elliot continued to gently rub her back as they waited for backup. The only sound was of the water swirling around them and their breaths mingling between them.

END

R&R does **not **stand for rest and relaxation. :)


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